In today's email systems which may include SMS (Short Message Service), texting and online posting, it is common to include so-called emoticons or emotional icons as an emotional gesture or expression by the sender. For example, the smiley face is almost universal, and it is often entered (or typed) by users by entering the keystroke sequence: “:-)” on a regular keyboard. Many display systems recognize this keystroke sequence and display the smiley-face graphical symbol in response thereto. In fact, the Apple iPhone® provides a custom keyboard called Emoji to allow users enter varieties of emoticons conveniently. Other smartphones and smart mobile devices have similar capabilities.
A related practice among these messaging services is the use of Internet slang in the message itself. For example, “LOL” means Laughing Out Loud. Various online dictionaries are available that define a extensive list of abbreviations used in this manner. The common thread between emoticons and Internet slang is that they represent a form of emotional gesture expressed by the sender as part of the message. It is also not uncommon to see a message including a single emoticon or a single Internet slang expression with no other written text. This practice so far is limited to text-based messaging or posting. It is also important to note that these emoticons and Internet slang expressions are embedded into messages and are thus not attachments that are separately opened and then read.
However, evolving technologies including those employed with increasingly popular Smartphones enable the use of ever more diverse types of communication formats. And the forms of emotional gesturing used in messaging of the longer established technologies don't fit well with various emerging technologies. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system and method for enabling emotional gesturing that is compatible with new forms of data communication between users of various modern devices.